Eyes

I was very moved by the article by Tracey Kaplan that dealt with a man, facing death, who wished to find and heal the relationship with his long-lost daughter. Kaplan has the eyes and the heart of a true writer. MARY M. PRESBY, Los Angeles

Peter Lau said "Never listen to a round-eyes' recommendation of Chinese restaurants" (Calendar Letters, April 20). If The Times had published a similar letter from me in which I said, "Never listen to a slant-eyes' recommendation of American restaurants," the Asian community in Southern California would have inundated you with their protests and probably be picketing your offices. GERRY PETERS Sam Clemente

Conjunctivitis, or pinkeye, can certainly be cause for red alert. The ailment, an inflammation of the conjunctiva, can be contagious, is irritating but for the most part is not serious and responds well to medication. Conjunctivitis, which affects the membrane that covers the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelid, is one of the most common eye diseases, particularly in children. It is known to spread quickly in settings such as schools and day care.

Eye donations in Orange County are for two purposes: transplants and research. According to Merle Wingate, director of the Orange County Eye Bank, corneal transplantation is 95% successful for those undergoing the procedure due to corneal disorders. And nearly all corneas are acceptable for donation regardless of vision abnormalities. Whole eye globes are used in research, teaching and transplantation.

January 8, 2012 | By Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times Television Critic

Human beings are such gorgeously contradictory creatures — we demand variety (it's the spice of life!) and hate change. Nowhere is that more pronounced than in our attitude toward television; we regularly decry the monotony of the standard formats and then yelp when someone messes with them. "Rubicon" was too slow and complicated, "Men of a Certain Age" too insular and morose, "The Killing" was a rip-off (because it didn't conclusively reveal the murderer) and "American Horror Story" is way over the top. Well, quit whining and get used to it because (a)

I don't know how long Joe Nick Patoski has been "based in Austin," but "The Eyes of Texas" is not a "celebration of paranoia." It was originally written a hundred years ago as a satire on a UT president, William Lambdin Prather, who used to finish his speeches with the words, "and remember, the eyes of Texas are upon you." The legendary coach Darrell Royal interpreted those words as meaning that UT students should remember that the state looked to them for leadership. Judi Hanna Twin Peaks Judi Hanna is a 1966 graduate of the University of Texas.

A 24-year-old woman slightly burned her eyes using Visine eye drops that apparently were contaminated with a chemical irritant, Salt Lake County officials said today. Managers of the Smith Food King store in downtown Salt Lake removed Visine from the shelves to check for contamination, but health officials said the tampering appeared to be an isolated incident. Doctors said the damage to the woman's eyes did not appear to be permanent.

Blinded by a still-mysterious attack in a Fontana hospital, a 34-year-old man who underwent surgery at UCLA Medical Center is "doing extraordinarily well," said his surgeon, Dr. Steven Schwartz of UCLA's Jules Stein Institute. Stephen Solomon, who had been stabbed in both eyes with a needlelike object, underwent surgery on his left eye last month, and has reportedly recovered 20 / 20 vision in that eye.

Few women appear to be aware that dry eye is a common symptom of menopause. A survey sponsored by the Society for Women's Health Research and released last month found that 62% of menopausal and peri-menopausal women report experiencing dry eye symptoms. But only 16% knew that the condition was linked to menopause. Treatments, which depend on the cause and the severity of the condition, can include artificial tear eyedrops, prescription therapies and surgery.